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GRAVA is a professional membership organization that promotes and supports excellence in the management and leadership of volunteers in the Greater Richmond area through professional development, networking, and advocacy. |
| Call To Action! |
Do these RIGHT NOW to maximize your GRAVA
- Save the Dates for GRAVA's 2015 Programs
- Join the GRAVA Book Club
- Check out the new Certificate in Volunteer Management
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2015 GRAVA Program Schedule
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We're taking December off but will be back beginning early January with our morning workshops and roundtables. Stay tuned for more information and be sure to save the following dates: |
January 8th
| 8:30am - 10:30am
| Breakfast Workshop
| February5th
| 8:30am - 10:30am
| Breakfast Roundtable
| March 5th
| 8:30am - 10:30am
| Breakfast Workshop
| April 2nd
| 8:30am - 10:30am
| Breakfast Roundtable
| May 7th
| 8:30am - 10:30am
| Breakfast Workshop
| June 4th
| 8:30am - 10:30am
| Breakfast Roundtable
| July 9th
| 8:30-3:30pm
| Annual Conference
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| Member Spotlight: J.C. Poma |
"My father has been in Human Resources his whole life and it is a path that I often talked about getting into after college. His advice to me was that being in charge of volunteers is Human Resources at its finest.
You are working with individuals/groups that are passionate about your place of business and are volunteering their time to help fulfill your mission. To me, volunteers are the most powerful way our mission is carried out and being able to work with these dedicated people and coordinate their involvement is something that I truly love and look forward to every day!
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GRAVA Scholarship Story
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Earlier this year, I had an opportunity to take a course entitled "Supporting and Sustaining Volunteer Involvement" through Nonprofit Learning Point, instructed by Melissa Gilmore and Mary Ella Douglas.
Melissa and Mary Ella did such a wonderful job of showing real world examples as they walked us through samples of various forms including, a volunteer position description, volunteer application, and volunteer agreement, just to name a few. They also allowed us to learn from our classmates, who represent various and diverse nonprofit organizations throughout the Richmond area, as the course was very interactive.
One of my top personal take-aways from the class was taking a step back and evaluating my organization's current volunteer plan and what can be improved upon moving forward. I look forward to engaging other staff within my organization and gauging our current volunteers about their interests and feedback on our current volunteer program.
-- Sarah Irby, Children's Hospital Foundation
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Message From the President
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As volunteer engagement professionals, we tend to spend every waking moment taking care of others.
We take care of our volunteers and invest a lot of our efforts to ensure that they feel appreciated and validated and meaningfully engaged.
We take care of our clients and do all that we can to make sure our volunteer activities support and benefit them.
We spend long hours in conversation with fellow staff and do our best to take their needs into consideration when we develop our opportunities.
And of course, we take care of our organizations by making sure that all our strategies reflect and support the good work being accomplished in the community.
Read the full Message from the President
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Certificate in Volunteer Management
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Volunteer Engagement Message Board
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You Asked and We Listened!
GRAVA members have requested a way to communicate and seek real-time answers to important questions and needs related to volunteer administration outside of normally scheduled GRAVA events.
GRAVA has partnered with HandsOn Greater Richmond to bring you the Volunteer Engagement Message Board, powered by ConnectVA.
Learn more and get started!
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Tip of the Month
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Volunteer Management Hot Topics
In 2011, Susan Ellis of Energ!ze wrote a Hot Topic called Part-time Volunteer Management Means Equally Limited Volunteer Involvement. Stimulated by the problem of organizations reducing staffing for their volunteer engagement efforts -- with predictably low results --, it continues to ring true. Hear the true story of a hospital that wanted her to speak at their volunteer recognition luncheon without mentioning the fact that the position of director of volunteer services was ending -- with no replacement plan -- right after the event!
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See you in 2015!
Rebecca Butler, PR Chair
GRAVA (Greater Richmond Association for Volunteer Administration) |
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Job Opening
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Development Director
Jewish Family Services is seeking a highly motivated Development Director to provide leadership, strategic vision, and management of all development and communication efforts. Click here to learn more.
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Membership Update
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We have 66 GRAVA members and our numbers continue to grow! Thank you to all of our members who are spreading the word about how wonderful a GRAVA membership is and the rewards from being a member. E-mail me if you want an updated GRAVA roster; this should be used to network and ask questions of fellow members; not to solicit.
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CVA Update
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Considering the CVA but not sure if it's right for you? Join this free webinar on January 14th to learn more about the CCVA and the process for applying for and receiving your CVA.
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Professional Development Opportunities
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Do you want to continue on your professional development journey?
Be sure to take advantage of GRAVA's scholarships to pay for these upcoming opportunities! Contact aparker@maymont.org.
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| GRAVA Book Club |
We have about 10 members interested in being a part of the new GRAVA book club. We are planning to meet in early December and we will be reading the book: How Good People Make Tough Choices- Resolving the Dilemmas of Ethical Living by Rushworth M. Kidder.
If you want to be a part of this group, please contact Melissa Gilmore at gilmoredm@verizon.net.
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P.O. Box
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Membership applications, dues, scholarship applications, and all mailed correspondence should be sent to:
P.O. Box 684, Midlothian VA 23113. If you would like to confirm that your recently mailed membership application and check have been received, please send an e-mail to our membership chair, Melissa Gilmore!
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GRAVA is Social
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Collectively, GRAVA members have a lot of valuable knowledge and experience to share. And now we have our very own Facebook page & Twitter feed to capture all this collective wisdom! But it's up to YOU to contribute to the interactivity of these accounts. These social media tools are for posting photos and events, sharing tips, and exchanging information & comments.
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GRAVA Board
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Secretary & Hospitality:
Treasurer:
Public Relations: Professional Development: Membership: Conference: President:
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